Alright, with Nalej's link and the fact that I just realized that Colston is near 30 I removed both Calais Campbell and Marques Colston from the FA signings. I also adjusted the salary for Michael Griffin. Who else do we sign in FA? No way we're only bringing in three guys.

I would like to see a guy like Manny Lawson, former 49Žers, now Benglas in Patriots.
Manny Lawson has great speed, but hi has never become that player 49Žers hoped when they drafted him..

If we can sign Manny Lawson for a 2 or 3 year deal, with upfront money, i would like to see what his speed can bring to our defence.

What do you think about Manny Lawson? And what kind of money do you think we are takling about?

We're in really good position to be 30-35 mil under the cap after some cuts etc. So hopefully we see BB be aggressive and go after some impact guys. 30-35 mil is no chump change. Even if we resign Welker etc we'd be about 26-27 under.

We could theoretically add 2-3 impact guys in FA and hopefully more in the draft. I can only pray BB takes advantage of this years bitchin FA class and brings in some significant new talent.

We're in really good position to be 30-35 mil under the cap after some cuts etc. So hopefully we see BB be aggressive and go after some impact guys. 30-35 mil is no chump change. Even if we resign Welker etc we'd be about 26-27 under.

We could theoretically add 2-3 impact guys in FA and hopefully more in the draft. I can only pray BB takes advantage of this years bitchin FA class and brings in some significant new talent.

If the Patriots can't sign welker before the season, his franchise tag will cost 9.4 million.

Where are you getting that extra 9-15 million from? Who are they cutting that opens up that much cap (I assume Chad, but who else)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nalej

Some raider fans are expecting Seymour to be cut (or wouldn't be surprised if it happened)
Not that it'll happen, but if it did, would he be welcomed back in NE?

Oh hell yes. Please. I hope things between him and bill have cooled a bit. A 1 year with a 2-3 year option would be awesome.

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I was gone for 2 months doing things I can't talk about. It might happen again, but that's just the nature of what I do and who I am.

BradysKnee, those free agent numbers look very wishful. Keep in mind that Brandon Marshall got paid $47 million over five years, and Santonio Holmes signed another five-year deal worth $45 million, putting their yearly averages around $9 million each, so it would be wishful to expect Vincent Jackson to sign for around $7 million per season; a reasonable projection would be five years and $50 million. Stevie Johnson and Dwayne Bowe will probably come in around $8 million per season. Colston's age, bad knees, and concerns regarding how much of his production is because of Drew Brees should probably put him around $6 million a season, although $7 million wouldn't be out of the question. Reggie Wayne will probably sign a short-term deal with a high annual value.

Robert Mathis is probabaly looking at $6 million per season at the least, considering that's what Ray Edwards made last year (five years, $30 million.) Mario Williams is one of the NFL's rarest talents and will probably be closer to what Julius Peppers (six years, $84 million) and Charles Johnson (six years, $76 million) made. Pete Prisco suggested that Mario Williams will be the highest paid defensive player in the NFL next season. Tyvon Branch and Michael Griffin should be paid around $5 million per year, and Dashon Goldson will make a little bit less considering his deficiencies in coverage and propensity to gamble and go for the knockout blow rather than the sure tackle. Signing Goldson would upgrade the talent at safety but he could easily end up being the next Brandon Meriweather.

BradysKnee, those free agent numbers look very wishful. Keep in mind that Brandon Marshall got paid $47 million over five years, and Santonio Holmes signed another five-year deal worth $45 million, putting their yearly averages around $9 million each, so it would be wishful to expect Vincent Jackson to sign for around $7 million per season; a reasonable projection would be five years and $50 million. Stevie Johnson and Dwayne Bowe will probably come in around $8 million per season. Colston's age, bad knees, and concerns regarding how much of his production is because of Drew Brees should probably put him around $6 million a season, although $7 million wouldn't be out of the question. Reggie Wayne will probably sign a short-term deal with a high annual value.

Robert Mathis is probabaly looking at $6 million per season at the least, considering that's what Ray Edwards made last year (five years, $30 million.) Mario Williams is one of the NFL's rarest talents and will probably be closer to what Julius Peppers (six years, $84 million) and Charles Johnson (six years, $76 million) made. Pete Prisco suggested that Mario Williams will be the highest paid defensive player in the NFL next season. Tyvon Branch and Michael Griffin should be paid around $5 million per year, and Dashon Goldson will make a little bit less considering his deficiencies in coverage and propensity to gamble and go for the knockout blow rather than the sure tackle. Signing Goldson would upgrade the talent at safety but he could easily end up being the next Brandon Meriweather.

You could be right. It's also fair tosay we may have more cap room as the ceiling is not set yet.

So we could sign a big name like Vjax and a Branch, Griffin, and some smaller names, or more likely someone like Reggie Wayne, Steve Johnson coupled with Goldson, Mathis etc.

I'd personally be pumped if we signed Steve Johnson+Goldson+Mathis(or resign Andre Carter) + Some def talent in the draft.

I'd be furious if they simply let Mark Anderson walk. From about week 10 onwards he was quite comfortably the second best player on the defense after Wilfork. If they can get him for relatively cheap I would prefer him over Carter(a lot has to do with age) but Anderson can also play a bit standing up whereas Carter can't.

I'd agree with this. In fact, I'd say that Mathis has become quite overrated. He's a speed rusher going up against right tackles who tend to struggle with speed. I think he's capable but will almost certainly be overpaid this offseason. I think Anderson did a really good job in 2011 and really outperformed my expectations for him. We should definitely keep him around even if it's just as a nickel pass rusher.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ElectricEye

I'm a whiny little kunt. Feel sorry for me as I go masturbate to a picture of my mom dressed as a teletubby.

I'm probably going to be representing New England in BeerBaron's forum mock offseason and was wondering if any of you guys wanted to help me out. Since I'd prefer not to discuss everything openly on the boards, feel free to send me a PM if you want to talk strategy.

P.S. I'm on AIM all the time, so if you have a screen name, feel free to include it in the PM.

The one thing the article doesn't mention is how no WR has been targeted in the first round. Chad Jackson is the closest thing to a first round WR we've gone after and he was just an early second.

Michael Floyd is exactly what the Patriots need. Only a few prospects would be higher on my board if I were NE (unless something behind the scenes I don't know about) than Floyd and he's easily the man I would target. I'd target him above Kendall Wright, who I think played in a simplified offense at Baylor and could be very similar to Taylor Price in the amount of problems he gives the Patriots in developing him.

Michael Floyd would give this offense something it might not be able to get any other way, an outside WR worth a damn.

Even if they get Brandon Lloyd in FA and resign Welker, I'd still target Floyd with the first 1.

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I was gone for 2 months doing things I can't talk about. It might happen again, but that's just the nature of what I do and who I am.

The Patriots have an extra 6.66 million cap from 2011. So our cap space should be in excess of 27 million before we cut anyone. If we made the cuts proposed earlier, we could be in the 36 million range. I know we need to sign people, but we seriously need to use some of that money to get an impact player.

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I was gone for 2 months doing things I can't talk about. It might happen again, but that's just the nature of what I do and who I am.

I either want a huge splash like Mario Williams and then a few pieces like Brandon Lloyd etc or three or four really good players like Brandon Carr, Pierre Garcon/Robert Meachem, Michael Griffen/Dashon Goldson etc

I either want a huge splash like Mario Williams and then a few pieces like Brandon Lloyd etc or three or four really good players like Brandon Carr, Pierre Garcon/Robert Meachem, Michael Griffen/Dashon Goldson etc

Imagine a four man defensive line of Williams, Brockers, Wilfork and Anderson

Then a secondary of McCourty, Gilmore, Dowling, Arrington, Chung and Goldson.

Overall then the defense could become a strength.

Mario Williams contract is going to be a little too rich for my taste. We already have a $15+ million guy on our team, and capwise I don't think it's prudent to add another guy at that price, even for a guy as talented as Williams. As we found out this year we can get pressure if we actually try blitzing every once and a while and have a guy or 2 who specialize at it. I think Williams is a luxury we can't really afford.

I do however like the idea of going after a big name or two, but for me I think we need to address our biggest weakness which lies outside of the hashes. Cornerback and Wide Receiver are an absolute disaster right now. Bowe, V-Jack, D-Jack, Colston, Meachem, Manningham, and Garcon are guys who I have my eyes on right now. At Cornerback I have my eyes peeled on Thomas, Carr, Greer, Asante (if he's released), Rodgers, and Finnegan.

I also would be willing to part with a first round pick for either Wallace or Lardarius Webb who played like an absolute stud this year. To me giving up a 1st for a 26 year old is a sacrifice I'd be willing to make as a GM. Those are our 2 biggest need spots and adding 1 top guy in either of those spots would have a cumulative effect on the offense or the defense. Plus, taking away stud young talent from our biggest threats in the AFC can't hurt either.

If I'm the Pats I'd give out an offer for Wallace, and maybe one for Webb depending on how UFA turns out. About 5 years $45 million for Wallace in a front loaded deal so the Steelers can't match.

At CB my preference would be go Carr then Webb even if though we'd lose a pick because I think he's going to be a top 8 CB for a long time.

In terms of other positions if the Raiders release Michael Huff I'd be all over him. Perfect for what we need at safety opposite Chung. I'd also like Ahmad Brooks if we're going to the 3-4 full time. He's like a rich mans Rob Ninkovich.

Of course BB will never do what we want him to do so we better get ready for an offseason where we sign Manny Lawson and Rashean Mathis and call it a day.

As we found out this year we can get pressure if we actually try blitzing every once and a while and have a guy or 2 who specialize at it. I think Williams is a luxury we can't really afford.

I agree with everything you said except with the above.
We got better at getting pressure but we're far from it being a strength.
It was inconsistent and didn't scare anyone.
The reason why we're mocking pass rushers to the Pats still is bc of this fact.
Get M.Williams, retain M.Anderson and sign a starting FS and our D is a strength.
McCourty plays like he played in his rookie year too.